A group of Syrian refugees got an introduction to a grand American holiday this week thanks in part to Oakland A's reliever Sean Doolittle and his girlfriend, Eireann Dolan.

The two were part of a group that hosted Syrian refugee families for Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday in Chicago, which the refugees now call home. Doolittle, Dolan and Dolan's family joined the Chicago-based Syrian Community Network to put on the celebration. Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel and some city aldermen were there, too.

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"Chicago is so lucky to have 17 Syrian refugee families now officially calling it home. We thought we'd officially welcome them with one of our greatest American traditions, Thanksgiving," Dolan wrote on an Instagram post that published multiple photos of the meal. Later, on Twitter, she wrote that 21 families attended.

Dolan, who is a host for Comcast Sports Net Bay Area, also wrote on her personal blog (thankyoubasedball.com) about her own family's immigrant history – her grandfather settled in Chicago after leaving Ireland. That, in part, led her to want to participate, especially because that grandfather died only weeks ago.

"When his family came to this country, it was one of the first American traditions they embraced," Dolan wrote. "I have so many memories of him at Thanksgiving with his wife, their ten children and their children's spouses, and their children's children – all thirty of us grandkids.

"It will certainly be strange to have a Thanksgiving celebration without him. But I know a way we can still have him there with us. We can bring one of his earliest associations with American hospitality and togetherness to local Syrian refugees."

Doolittle, a 29-year-old lefty who went to Shawnee High School in Medford, New Jersey, was an All-Star in 2014 when he had 22 saves for Oakland. Last season, he was 1-0 with a 3.95 ERA in 12 games.